Fire-escape



(No Model.) 2 Sh'e'ets-'-Sheet 1.

R. E. NELSON, Sr.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 300,112. Patented June 10, 1884.

.dttorneyar Pznins. Phola-Ulhngnpher, Walhi c.

2 Sheets-Sheet, 2.

(No Model.)

R. E. NELSON, Sr.

FIRE ESCAPE. v

Patented June 10, 1884.

No.s00,112.

W'ITJVESSES 24 0L N. PETERS. PhoQo-L'llmgraphnr UNITED STATES I PATENT QrnIcE.

ROBERT E. NELSON, sa, on CUMBERLAND COUNTY, VIRGINIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,112, dated June 10, 1884.

Application filed March 31, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT E. NnLsoN, Sn, a citizen of the United States, residing in the county of Cumberland and State of Virginia, have invented a new andnseful Fire-Escape, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has relation to that class of fire-escapes that are mounted on trucks and are designed to be drawn or driven to the burning building and hoisted, and a basket or cage run up to awindow to receive and lower the occupants of the burning building to the ground in safety; and it consists in the construotion and novel arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure l is a view in perspective of a fireescape embodying the improvements of my invention, the sectional mast being folded in place upon the platform, and the hinged hookbraces being elevated in readiness for removal to the scene of the fire. Fig. 2 is an end view of. the fire-escape, showing the upper section tended mast to lean toward the building, the hook-braces being driven into the ground and the basket engaged with a window-sill by a grappling-hook to hold it until it receives its load. Fig. 3 is an end view showing the tilting-wedge under the lower hinged section of the tilting platform, showing the mast leaning away from the building and the basket being lowered with its load. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal view through the truck, platform, mast-stand, and through two sections of the mast, showing the j oi nt and sleeve for holding the joint extended. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the tilting-wedge; and Fig. 6 is a view of the lever for tilting the hinged sections of the platform to insert the wedge, the lever being shown in place in one of the recesses of the platform.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, a designates the truck of the fireescape, consisting of the front and rear axles,

connected by a reach, and provided with the usual bolsters and tongue. The platform I) is secured upon the bolsters through its lower section, b, the section I) being hinged atone edge to section b, and normally resting directly upon it, and the section if being hinged to the section b at the opposite edge and resting normally upon the section b At about the middle of the sections 1) and I), at opposite sides and in their under faces, are made the transverse recesses c 0, extending part way across said sections, and provided with guards 0 to hold the lever c in place when it is being used to tilt either section of the platform to cause the mast to lean either toward or away from the building, as may be necessary. To the ends and edges of the lower section of the plat formare hinged the hook-braces d (1 cl d the hook portions being of steel and having sockets for the arms of the braces, which are of wood. The hooks are to be driven into the provided 'with an elongated staple, f, which secures a ring, f loosely thereto. This ring f surrounds the sectionf, andis large enough to slip down over the tapering half-socket e and bind the section f to the mast-stand e, and hold the mast g in a vertical position. The mast-section f is of wood, and is made hollow except at its ends, in order to render it light. The ends are, however, made solid, and the upper end of the section f' is kerfed or recessed vertically, and in this kerf or recess h is pivoted the lower end of a flat plate, h, of metal. The upper end of this plate i is pivoted in a kerf or recess, h in the lower end of the next mast-section, i, and this section 11 is provided with a metal sleeve, 6, which is adapted to slipdown upon the upper end of the baseseotion f to hold the two sections in an extended position when desired. A pin, i is passed through aperforationin the iron sleeve I" into a perforation in the base-section f, to hold the sleeve in place and render the joint secure. their lower to their upper ends, and they are all constructed hollow, except at the ends,

which are recessed and connected,as described,

of the hinged platform tilted to cause the exf, of the mast g is pivoted. This section f is The sections of the mast taper from by pivoted metal plates and ironsleeves, so that they can be folded, as shown in Fig. 1, or extended, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. At suitable distances apart the mast is provided with eyebolts k k, to which guy-ropes Z Z Z Z are attached for hoisting the mast and steadying it in any desired position, the ropes to be manipulated by men on the ground. The top section, m, of the mast is provided with a clamping-bracket, m, to which a pulley, m is attached, and over which the rope 0, for raising or lowering the basket or car 71., runs when operated. The car or basket is provided with a grapplinghook, p, which should be thrown over the window-sill,to steady the car or basket 7 while persons are getting into it, and the basket should be provided with the rope g, by which it may be guided in its ascent and descent by some person on the ground to keep it away from the building when necessary. The tilting-wedge r is to be placed between the platform-sections, to hold the mast at the proper inclination when the sections have been tilted, as the strain upon the guy-ropes would soon tire the persons at the tilting-lever were they compelled to keep the sections tilted.

A fire-escape of this construction is comparatively light and cheap, may be quickly placed in an operative position, and is perfectly safe, as the persons who are atl'righted at the flames have nothing to do with lowering themselves, except to throw off the grappling-hook after getting into the basket. There is therefore no danger of accident in making the descent. As the basket can be swung out away from the building, there is no danger of having to pass through flames bursting from a lower window in making the descent from a window above it.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a fire-escape, the combination, with the truck, of the sectional platform comprising three sections, the lower one of which is secured to the. bolsters, the intermediate one hinged to this one at one edge, and a top section hinged to the opposite edge of the hinged intermediate section, and adapted to be tilted to incline the mast secured to the top section both toward the building and away from the building, substantially as specified 2. In a fire-escape, a hinged sectional mast pivoted at its base to the platform, and provided-with iron sleeves for slipping over the ends of the aligned jointed sections and holding the sections extended substantially as specified.

3. In a fire-escape, a pivoted mast composed of wooden sections made hollow except at their ends, and hinged together and adapted to be folded and extended by shifting the iron sleeves with which said sections are provided, substantially as specified.

4. In a fire-escape, the combination, wit the truck provided with a hinged sectional tilting platform, of the mast-stand upon the upper section of said hinged platform, and the pivoted sectional mast provided with guyropes, and an escape basket and tackle secured to the mast, for raising and lowering the basket, substantially as specified.

5. In a fire-escape, the combination of the truck, the tilting platform having the taper ing mast-stand,and the pivoted sectional mast, the lower section of which is provided with a ring for connecting said section to the tapering mast-stand, substantially as specified.

6. In a fire-escape, a sectional mast composed of hollow wooden sections having solid ends, said ends being kerfedvertically, and connected by pivoted flat plates of metal held in their extended position by iron sleeves slipped over the joints and secured in place by pins, substantially as specified.

7. In a fire-escape, the combination, with the truck, of a sectional platform comprising three sections, the lower one of which is secured to the bolster, the intermediate one hinged to this one at one edge, and provided with a transverse recess having guards in its lower face, and a top section hinged at its opposite edge to the intermediate section, and having at its opposite edge a transverse recess in its under face, and guards for holding a tilting-lever in the recess, and a sectional mast secured to the top section, and provided with ropes and tackle for steadying it and operating the escapebasket, substantially as specified.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT E. NELSON, SR.

WVi tn ess es:

JAMES K. GALT, SAML. S. LEARY. 

